Larsen: Sibiya now a marked man

Posted: 2 August 2017Time: 12:43

Lamontville Golden Arrows coach Clinton Larsen says rising star Nduduzo Sibiya will have to lift his game to another level this coming season.

The 22-year-old played a key role in Arrows' MultiChoice Diski Challenge triumph in 2015/16 and maintained his upward trajectory after earning promotion to the Abafana Bes’thende first team and helping them secure a top-eight finish in the Absa Premiership last term.

He also helped guide Arrows to the Nedbank Cup semi-finals for the first time in the club's history.

For his efforts, Sibiya was named Nedbank Cup Young Player of the Tournament and he was also nominated for the Absa Premiership Young Player of the Season.

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The Lamontville-born attacking midfielder was also called up to the Bafana Bafana squad for the COSAFA Castle Cup where an understrength South Africa clinched the Plate trophy by defeating Namibia, where Sibiya was named man of the match.

Larsen, though, insists Sibiya will have to lift his game even more in the 2017/18 campaign as opposition teams know all about his threat this time.

“It is always a challenge with young players that have a breakthrough season, it becomes second season syndrome, they call it, to emulate what you've just achieved,” said Larsen.

“Because you become now the marked man. Teams analyse you, they prepare for you a lot better because they know you so he has got to up his game in all departments.

“He's got to work even harder in order to maintain and improve where he's at right now.”